Nicholas Kole
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| Nicholas Kole | |
|---|---|
| File:Nicholas Kole.png | |
| Birth date | |
| Birth place | Detroit, Michigan, U.S.[1] |
| Occupation | Character designer, illustrator, concept artist |
| Known for | Disney Lorcana, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot 4 |
| Employer | Phoenix Labs (Principal Concept Artist)[2] |
| Previous employer(s) | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Website | nicholaskole.art |
Nicholas Kole is an American character designer and illustrator known for his vibrant and expressive art style. He has worked across animation, video games, publishing, and trading cards. He is one of the most prominent artists for the Disney Lorcana trading card game, having illustrated some of the game's most iconic cards, including Mickey Mouse – Brave Little Tailor and the six‑card D23 Expo Collector's Set.[3]
Early life and education
Nicholas Kole was born in Detroit, Michigan.[1] He spent much of his childhood traveling through Europe with his family, living in France, the Netherlands, and Austria before returning to the United States for college.[4] He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2009 with a degree in Illustration.[5] His mother, an illustrator herself, encouraged his artistic pursuits from a young age.[1]
Career
Early work
After graduating, Kole worked as a game artist for the Singapore‑MIT Game Lab (GAMBIT).[6] He has worked as a freelance illustrator and character artist for clients including Disney Publishing and Hasbro.[7] In 2016, he contributed to concept design for Disney's live‑action film The Curse of Maleficent.[8]
Video games
Kole is known for his work on major video game franchises. He notably contributed to the core casts of Activision's Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy.[9][10] He has also worked on Overwatch, Soundfall, and other titles.[11]
Disney Lorcana
Kole began working on Disney Lorcana in June 2021, prior to the game's public announcement.[3] His art was featured prominently in the game's debut, including the six‑card D23 Expo Collector's Set, which sold for $49.99 and was limited to 900 copies.[12] His illustration of Mickey Mouse – Brave Little Tailor was given out as a promotional card at D23 Expo 2022.[13]
His work is not limited to card illustrations; his art has also been featured on official Lorcana merchandise, including 9‑pocket portfolios for sets like Shimmering Skies and a compilation portfolio for sets 5‑8.[14] He is known for his deep respect for Disney's original source material, often consulting original model sheets to ensure his innovative designs still capture the essence of beloved characters.[15]
Other projects
Kole has worked on a wide range of projects for companies including DreamWorks, Netflix, Nintendo, Blizzard, Riot Games, Hasbro, Mattel, and Penguin Random House.[16] He is the creator of the personal passion project Jellybots, a whimsical sci‑fi/fantasy story that he has developed for over a decade.[17] He has released digital art books for the project and plans to produce a physical art book.[18]
He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his wife, Erika Schnellert, and works as a principal concept artist at Phoenix Labs on an unannounced project.[2][19]
Artistic style and process
Kole's style is characterized by vivid colors, expressive characters, and a blend of whimsy and epic scale.[15] He primarily works digitally using Procreate on an iPad. His process often begins with small, loose pencil sketches before moving to digital painting.[15] He emphasizes working broadly from vague shapes to specific details, allowing for flexibility when incorporating client feedback.[15]
Partial list of Lorcana cards
This is a partial list of notable Disney Lorcana cards illustrated by Nicholas Kole:[3][20]
- Mickey Mouse – Brave Little Tailor (The First Chapter)
- Mickey Mouse – Wayward Sorcerer (The First Chapter)
- Elsa – Snow Queen (The First Chapter)
- Cruella de Vil – Miserable as Usual (The First Chapter)
- Khan – Beloved Steed (Ursula's Return)
- Scar – Vicious Cheater (Rise of the Floodborn)
- Aurora – Dreaming Guardian (The First Chapter)
- Mickey Mouse – Pirate Captain (Disney Cruise Promo)
Trivia
- Kole has been drawing for as long as he can remember. As a child, he would turn every page of his coloring books into "dragons and monsters."[1]
- When sketching mindlessly, his go‑to subject is "knobby old men," finding the challenge of pushing shapes and wrinkles to be relaxing.[15]
- He is a fan of Disney, comic books (especially Spider‑Man), and the films of Hayao Miyazaki. He cites The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a major turning point in his decision to become a character designer.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Nicholas Kole – About. Nicholas Kole official website.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nicholas Kole – LinkedIn. LinkedIn.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Disney Lorcana Artist Spotlight: Nicholas Kole. Ravensburger (August 2023).
- ↑ Interview with Nicholas Kole. Art Café Podcast (October 2022).
- ↑ RISD Alumni: Nicholas Kole. Rhode Island School of Design.
- ↑ GAMBIT Alumni: Nicholas Kole. Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab.
- ↑ Nicholas Kole Portfolio. Nicholas Kole.
- ↑ Nicholas Kole – IMDB. IMDB.
- ↑ Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time – Art Credits. MobyGames.
- ↑ Spyro Reignited Trilogy – Art Credits. MobyGames.
- ↑ Nicholas Kole – ArtStation. ArtStation.
- ↑ D23 Expo Collector's Set Reveal. ICv2 (September 8, 2022).
- ↑ D23 Expo 2022 Lorcana Promo Card. CBR (September 10, 2022).
- ↑ Disney Lorcana Portfolios Featuring Nicholas Kole Art. Ravensburger.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Nicholas Kole on Designing Lorcana Characters. Polygon (October 2023).
- ↑ Nicholas Kole – Client List. Nicholas Kole.
- ↑ Jellybots – Official Website. Nicholas Kole.
- ↑ Jellybots Digital Art Book. Gumroad.
- ↑ Nicholas Kole – Biography. ArtStation.
- ↑ Nicholas Kole – Lorcana Card List. Lorcana.gg.